Velux electric or solar outside shutters + how to control?

Hardware
1

Hi! I am new to home automation / home assistant, so forgive me for maybe the noob questions.

I am going to install new Velux windows with electric Velux outside shutters.
Also planning on using Home Assistant to control all later IoT devices and flows.

I have these questions regarding operating these shutters:

  • they operate via the IO Homecontrol standard, so how can I send a signal to open/close them ? Z-wave, Zigbee, … Shelly ?
  • can I read the current state of the shutters (opened/closed)?
  • what hardware do I need for this to work ? Do I still need Velux hardware like the KLF 200 https://www.velux.com/klf200 or KUX ?
  • there are 2 types of shutters: wired shutters or shutters with a small solar panel. Which one should I choose? Any (dis)advantages for either?

Thanks so much for your input.

2

Welcome to HA! :slightly_smiling_face:
This should answer a few questions.

3

thanks, but this only tells me that there is an integration for HA and that I need a KLF module.

I am looking for what hardware that I need for this to work, other than that.

4

I have a Velux Window which came with the Velux Active Kix 300. This worked out of the box and was automatically picked up by HA using the Homekit controller integration.

Velux use the Netatmo protocol so Somfy hubs and the Netatmo integration should also work.

If you can get your shutters wired then that would get my vote.

5

what is the disadvantage of the solar-powered version ?

Then I won’t have to wire them and I don’t need a KUX module for every shutter, as I understand it.

6

Without being facetious the disadvantage of solar powered version is that they are not wired. The advantages/disadvantages would be the same as any other solar versus wired product. How long does the charge last/how long will the batteries last/ can the Batteries be recharged externally/what are the aesthetics like et al. The cost/benefit of either approach would have to be your own analysis.

7

I bought the Velux solar blinds. They are good for 600 ‘movements’ on a single charge.

I couldn’t get the wired solution because I didn’t leave power close to the windows when renovating. If I had gotten the wired version, I think it would have been possible to automate the blinds using a shelly and skipping the Velux controller entirely.

My solar blinds came with a KLI312 remote. I soldered a few wires to these and can now control the blinds via the remote OR home assistant :slight_smile:

Here’s a guide I wrote about my setup: https://chiragdesai.uk/automating-velux-blinds-with-home-assistant/

8

@chillerz Thank you for this comprehensive and instructive tutorial. I just soldered my two windows and one blind controls as you described, set up an ESP32 accordingly, and, voilà, it is working with no further amendments.